Credit card companies attempt to prevent fraud by authenticating cardholders before activating new credit cards. Such authentication may be accomplished by requiring new cardholders to initiate calls from their home telephone numbers to activate new cards. When a cardholder places a call, typically using a toll free telephone number, the telephone number of the caller is transmitted to the credit card company for use by the credit card company in verifying that a valid cardholder possesses the credit card before enabling use of the credit card. This authentication system presupposes that an invalid cardholder (e.g., a thief) will not have access to a cardholder's phone, rendering the invalid cardholder unable to activate a stolen credit card.